Blind stitch french piping



. m K. WEIGERT BLIND STITCH FRENCH PIPING Feb. 17, 1970 Filed 001;. 27. 1967 m. m w. 0 m m W 2 A n m K a w.

United States Patent Office 3,495,559 Patented Feb. 17, 1970 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Means including both method and apparatus for providing French piping on the edge of a material surface with the stitching securing the piping to the material substantially hidden on both top and bottom surfaces. A strip of the fabric to be formed into the piping is folded over on itself along a central longitudinal axis, and the free edges of the folded piping fabric are turned into the piping fold. This is most readily accomplished by utilizing a right-angle-set-in binder. As the piping is stitched to the material to which it is to be applied, the upper and lower edges of the folded piping are pressed back away from the fold lines of the inturned piping edges, and the piping is stitched to the material to which the piping is applied in the area immediately adjacent these fold lines. In accordance with the invention, this step is performed by guiding the folded piping from the hinder to the stitch forming area of a sewing machine provided with a needle plate having an abutment against which the lower surface of the piping adjacent the lower inturned piping edge bears, and beneath an adjustable shoulder piece bearing against the upper piping surface adjacent the upper inturned piping edge. By adjusting the shoulder piece so that it is in line with the needle plate abutment, and slightly away from the path of travel of the conventional sewing machine needle, desired stitching is obtained. Upon movement of the fabric, to which the piping is attached away from. the needle the normal resiliency of the piping fabric billows the fabric out over the stitches so as to substantially hide same.

Background of the invention This invention relates to the art of piping application, and more particularly to an improved method and apparatus for providing so-called French piping? in which the stitches securing the piping to the material to which the piping is applied are substantially hidden from view.

Piping has been used in a variety of situations to provide a finished edge to fabrics, or for decorative purposes.

In addition to preventing ravelling or some deterioration of the raw edge of the fabric, the piping provides a decorative border or edging trim. The finest quality piping is so-called French piping in which in the past, when viewed from the top surface, the stitches securing the piping along the edge of the fabric were hidden.

It is to be understood that the term fabric or material as used in this application is intended to refer not only to woven, knitted, and felted textile fabrics, but also to any flexible sheet material in connection with which a piping like edge is provided,'and from which piping may be formed. Generally, in the following description, the term material will be employed to designate the article to which the piping is applied, and the term fabric will be employed to designate the substance forming the piping.

In the past, French piping has been provided on the edge of any given material by positioning a strip of piping fabric on the top surface of the material along the edge to which the piping is to be applied, stitching the piping fabric to the material, folding the piping fabric over the line of stitching, and over the edge of the material so that it rests along the lower surface of the material, and thereafter running a line of stitching through the piping fabric and the material behind the previously applied line of stitching securing the upper piping fold to the material. As a result, the top surface of the piping is held in position by a line of stitches which is hidden from view while the bottom surface stitching is visible.

Such conventional French piping, though regarded as highly desirable, substantially loses its effectiveness when both surfaces of the material to which the piping is applied are exposed, since at least one of the surfaces does reveal the line of stitching.

Summary of the invention It is with the above problems and considerations in mind that the present improved blind stitch piping technique has been evolved, permitting the provision of piping on the edge of any given material, and securement of the piping in position with stitches which are normally hidden from view on both sides of the material.

It is accordingly, among the primary objects of this invention to provide French piping in which all stitching, on both sides of the material to which the piping is applied, is hidden.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for aflixing piping to the edge of a material, utilizing conventional stitching techniques, which method permits the formation of a blind stitch on both sides of the piping.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine attachment which can be used in connection with conventional sewing machines to implement the application of French piping to the edge of a material with the stitches on both sides being hidden.

These and other objects of the invention, which will become hereafter more apparent are achieved by folding the fabric to be formed into the piping over on itself along a central longitudinal axis, and turning the free edges of the piping into the piping fold. This is most readily accomplished by utilizing a right-angle-set-in binder. As the piping is stitched to the material to which it is to be applied, the upper and lower surfaces of the piping are pressed back away from the fold lines of the inturned piping edges, and the piping is stitched to the material to which the piping is applied in the area immediately adjacent these fold lines. In accordance with the invention, this step is performed by guiding the folded piping from the binder to the stitch forming area of a sewing machine provided with a needle plate having an abutment against which the lower surface of the piping adjacent the lower inturned piping edge bears, and beneath an adjustable shoulder piece bearing against the upper piping surface adjacent the upper inturned piping edge. By adjusting the shoulder piece so that it is in line with the needle plate abutment, and slightly away from the path of travel of the conventional sewing machine needle, desired stitching is obtained. Upon movement of the fabric, to which the piping is attached away from the needle the normal resiliency of the piping fabric billows the fabric out over the stiches so as to substantially hide same.

A feature of the invention resides in the fact that the attachment may be readily applied to any of a wide variety of conventional sewing machines.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of two relatively movable abutment surfaces, so

' that the necessary deflection of the piping surfaces with Brief description of the drawing The specific details of apparatus suitable for practicing the method of this invention, and their mode of functioning will be described in full, clear, concise, and exact terms in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective elevational view of a sewing machine to which the blind stitch French piper attachment has been applied, with the end of the set-in-binder cut away so as to provide a clear view of the components;

FIG. 2 is a schematic detail view showing the position of the piping as it is being stitched;

FIG. 3 is a schematic detail view similar to FIG. 2 showing the piping with respect to the material to which it is attached after removal from the sewing machine, with the stitches hidden;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view looking down at the presser foot assembly with adjustable shoulder;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the presser foot assembly shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view through the presser foot assembly on line 6-6 of FIG. 4 showing the attachment of the foot to the bracket;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view looking down at the needle plate of the machine showing the abutment formed there on;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 1 through the binder;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view on line 99 of FIG. 4 showing the relationship of the presser foot member, adjustment plate, and bracket; and

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a needle plate provided with a selectively adjustable abutment.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now more particularly to the drawings, like numerals in the various figures will be employed to designate like parts.

As seen in FIG. 1, an apparatus for practicing the instant invention is shown illustrated as embodied in connection with a conventional sewing machine 10. Though not limited to any specific type of sewing machine, it is preferred to employ a Zig-zag machine, such as the Singer 457, 107, 143, or the Union Special 53-100.

Mounted on the bed 11 of the sewing machine 10 is a right-angle-set-in binder 15, such for example as #RA700 of Reliable Attachment Co. of New York City. This binder 15 is contoured as shown in the cross sectional view in FIG. 8 to fold the piping fabric into the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the feeding of a strip of piping fabric through the binder serves to fold the piping fabric over on itself, with the free edges of the strip inturned between the binding fold, as illustrated in FIG. 3. In its passage through the binder 15, the binding fabric is not only folded into the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3, but is also directed in a path at right angles to its path of movement through the binder so that it is fed out of the binder (through the portion shown in phantom) in a direction from the front of the sewing machine illustrated in FIG. 1 through to the rear of it.

A needle plate 20, as best seen in FIG. 7, is formed with feed dog openings 21 (five of which are here shown with the feed dogs shown in position), along with a needle opening 27 through which the needle 28 may pass in its vertical zig-zag reciprocation, in conventional fashion. The needle plate is formed with opening 29 in depressed needle plate portion 30 which provides a seat for the binder, as shown in phantom in FIG. 1. An abutment 31 is formed in a sidewall of the opening 29, with the abutment 31 lined up to bear against the lower inturned edge 36 of the formed piping P (see FIG. 2) as it leaves the discharge end of the binder 15. The peripheral contour of the needle plate 20 is conventional as illustrated,

and conventional fastening screws 37 are provided to secure plate 20 in position on the bed 11.

Secured to presser foot post 40 of sewing machine 10 is a shoulder bearing presser foot assembly 41, as best seen in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. The presser foot assembly 41 comprises a plate shaped foot member 42, contoured as illustrated in the drawing, with a smooth, flat lower material pressing surface 43 dimensioned to extend over the needle plate to the left of the needle opening 27, in the illustrated embodiment, so as to sandwich the material to which the piping is to be secured between this surface 43 and the needle plate, and permitting the left feed dog, as viewed in FIG. 7 to move the material during the sewing operation. Piping engaging portion 44, as seen to the right in FIG. 5 is at a stepped higher elevation than material pressing portion 43, and is dimensioned to extend over the feed dogs to the right of the needle opening 27, as viewed in FIG. 7, so as to guide the piping in its progress through the machine.

As best seen in FIG. 4, it will be noted that the portion of the presser foot plate 42 on which material pressing surface 43 is formed, extends slightly forward of the portion of the foot on which piping engaging surface 44 is formed. In the forwardly extending step between the material engaging surface 43, and the piping engaging surface 44, a shoulder 45 is provided to bear against the upper edge 46 of the piping, as viewed in FIG. 2. It will be understood that the shoulder 45 includes the arcuate segment, as viewed in FIG. 5, along with the vertical segment extending forwardly (as viewed in FIG. 4) and down (as viewed in FIG. 5) from surface 44, so that the piping fabric, in emerging from the outlet of the binder, will first encounter the arcuate segment and be guided along the vertical segment as it progresses towards the needle.

As seen in the cross sectional view of the shoulder bearing presser foot plate 42 in FIG. 6, the plate 42 is formed with a groove 47, and needle opening 48 dimensioned to provide free passage for the needle 28.

The shoulder bearing presser foot member 42 is mounted to permit lateral adjustment of plate 42. Such laterally adjustable mounting may obviously be accomplished in a variety of fashions. However, in accordance with the illustration embodiment of the invention, this is provided by forming presser foot plate 42 with channel 50, having a rectangular cross section, as best viewed in FIG. 6. A depression 51, as seen to the left in FIGS. 4 and 9 is provided in the lower surface of channel 50, with the dimensioning of depression 51 being such as to accommodate the head of adjustment screw 53.

Post attaching bracket 55 having screw aperture 56, as best seen in FIG. 5, is provided for securement of the plate 42 to the presser foot post 40, it being understood that the conventional presser foot attachment screw extends through screw opening 56 into threaded engagement with the presser foot post 40 in conventional fashion. Attaching bracket 55 is of an L shaped configuration, as best seen in FIG. 6.

Adjustment plate 60, as best seen in FIGS. 4 and 9, is formed with two upstanding plates 58 and 59, and horizontal leg 57 of bracket 55 fits between these plates 58 and 59 and is secured thereto by pivot pin 61, as best seen in FIG. 6. Flange 62 extends to the right of plate 59, as viewed in FIG. 9, with a slotted opening 63 therein. Fastening screw 64 extends through slot 63 into threaded engagement with the lower surface of channel 50. Adjustment screw 53 is threaded into plate 58, with the head of screw 53 positioned in depression 51, as previously described.

In order to provide for selective adjustment of the latlateral position of the abutment on the needle plate, needle plate may be employed, which is identical to needle plate 20, as illustrated in FIG. 10. Needle plate 70 is formed with binder seat 71, and opening 72 adjacent needle hole 73, and feed dog opening 74. Abutment 81 is formed on bracket 82 which is slidably mounted on the plate 70. Handle 83 permits selective lateral movement of the bracket 82 and abutment 81 with respect to the needle hole 73. As will be apparent, the upper surface of the needle plate 70 is formed with a seat to accommodate the bracket flush with the needle plate surface. Headed machine screw 84 extends through an opening in bracket 82 and is threaded into the side of the needle plate to bracket movement to the left (as illustrated). Spring 85 biases the bracket toward the left against the head of machine screw 84 which is adjustable to provide desired alignment of the abutment with respect to shoulder 45.

Operation In use, the foregoing description apparatus may be employed in practicing the method of this invention to provide French piping on the edge of material M, as viewed in FIG. 3, in which the stitches on both top and bottom of the piping are hidden from view.

According to the method of this invention, this is accomplished by folding the piping fabric P, as illustrated in FIG. 3 into the contour illustrated, with the piping fabric folded over on itself, and the edges of the piping inturned. The piping is thereafter positioned over the edge of the material M to which the piping is to be applied, with the material sandwiched between the inturned edges of the piping. A line of stitching S is formed, extending through the top layer of the piping P, the material M, and the lower layer of the piping. As the stitches are being formed, the top and bottom layer of the piping adjacent the fold line about which the inturned edges of the piping are turned, are pushed back slightly, so that the piping is in the position as illustrated in FIG. 2. After the stitches S are formed, and the pressure tending to push the piping back from the stitch line is released, the natural resiliency of the piping fabric serves to billow the piping out to the position illustrated in FIG. 3 in which the fold of the piping on both top and bottom surfaces of the piping hides the line of stitches.

The apparatus above described serves to facilitate the practice of this method implementing the provision of this piping by machine. The piping fabric P is fed through the right angle set-in binder 15 in conventional fashion to fold the piping fabric into the contour illustrated in FIG. 3. As the folded piping P emerges from the outlet end of the binder 15, the lower inturned edge of the piping 36, as viewed in FIG. 2, is abutted against abutment 31 of the needle plate 20, and the lower inturned edge is simultaneously pressed by piping engaging surface 44 of the presser foot against the needle plate 20 so that the lower piping surfaces assumes the configuration illustrated in FIG. 2. Simultaneously, the upper inturned edge 46 of the piping is abutted against shoulder 45 of presser foot 42, and the upper surface of the piping assumes the configuration illustrated in FIG. 2. The piping is thus maintained in the position illustrated in FIG. 2 until the piping P and material M have been moved out from beneath the presser foot plate 42, by which time the stitches S have already been formed by the normal sewing machine action of needle 28. Upon release from the presser foot plate 42, the natural resiliency of the piping causes same to billow out into the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3 in which the stitches S are substantially hidden from view.

In order to insure the fact that the stitches S employed for securing the piping to the material M will be hidden on both top and bottom, it is necessary to make certain that the inturned edges 36 and 46 are aligned during stitching. To this end, the presser foot plate 42 is mounted for lateral adjustment so as to permit selective positioning of the shoulder 45 in line with the needle plate abutment 31. This alignment may readily be accomplished by visual inspection. Thereafter, fastening screw 64 is tightened to secure the presser foot 42 in desired position.

In the event that it is desired to provide for selective adjustment of the abutment acting on the lower inturned edge 36 of piping P as viewed in FIG. 2, the needle plate may be formed as in FIG. 10 with bracket 82. Screw 84 is tightened to bring abutment 81 to the left, or loosened to bring abutment 81 to the right, as required to effect alignment of abutment 81 with shoulder 45 and needle hole 73. In addition to providing for selective abutment positioning, the bracket 82 may be moved to the right at the end of a stitching run, against the biasing of spring 85, thus moving the lower edge of piping P out of the path of the needle to provide an unstitched lower piping surface to facilitate end finishing.

It is thus seen that an improved technique has been evolved for securing piping to the edge of a material in a fashion so as to hide both top and bottom stitches from view.

The above disclosure has been given by way of illustration and elucidation, and not by way of limitation, and it is desired to protect all embodiments of the herein disclosed inventive concept.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for providing french piping having inturned edges on the edge of a material surface with the stitching on both top and bottom of the piping hidden, said apparatus comprising: a sewing machine including a needle plate and a needle reciprocating through an opening in said needle plate; a presser foot mounted to ride over the material and piping and maintain the same in position on said needle plate during the reciprocation of said needle; a shoulder member on said presser foot bearing against the upper inturned edge of said piping as it moves beneath said presser foot to the needle hole; and an abutment on said needle plate underlying the material and bearing against the lower inturned edge of the piping as it moves towards the needle hole in said needle plate.

2. Apparatus, as in claim 1, including means mounting said shoulder member on said presser foot for selective adjustment with respect to said abutment.

3. Apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein said needle plate includes a bracket and adjustable means for adjusting the position of said bracket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 829,126 8/1906 Stevens 112-140 1,071,598 8/1913 Woodward ll2l53 1,163,220 12/1915 Corey ll2l40 2,706,460 4/ 1955 Grossman 1 12235 2,760,456 8/1956 Sigoda 112140 3,134,347 5/1964 Seaman 112140 H. HAMPTON HUNTER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 112-140 

